


driven to distraction

by moralesunflower



Series: November aka Shipember [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2021-01-21 12:06:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21299189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moralesunflower/pseuds/moralesunflower
Summary: Harry and Cho are on a date.
Relationships: Cho Chang/Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Series: November aka Shipember [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1536238
Kudos: 3





	driven to distraction

**"trying hard to speak and fighting with my weak hand, driven to distraction, it's all part of the plan. when something is broken and you try to fix it, trying to repair it, anyway you can." coldplay - x&y **

Harry stared at Cho, a bit amazed. She was beautiful, wasn't she? Fifteen-year-old Harry would have given everything to be in his place - or in her place when she was with Cedric, if he had to be fully honest with himself. She really was, with her now short black hair, her cheeky, bright eyes and her enchanting smile. She was wearing a navy blue shirt with a grey, almost sparkling skirt and long boots. Probably the cutest woman in the whole restaurant.

It was their third date and Harry couldn't even imagine dates going smoother. _Everything is perfect,_ _I guess_, he thought. He paused. Guess? Why could he only guess? Why was he feeling so uneasy? 

"Harry", Cho called, "Is there something wrong?" 

"No, nothing", he answered, trying to smile, his mouth slowly transforming into a pathetic, hypocrite grin. "I might be tired." 

"Do you sleep well? Do you have nightmares?", she asked. 

Harry's chest twisted, agitated by a tornado of discomfort and incomprehension. By Cho's look, he knew his features had transformed into a mass of immense sorrow and rage, she seemed frightened. Of course, she had lived her own lot of horrors during the War, losing Cedric, losing some friends, just like him. Nevertheless, he didn't know if she could understand how it was, what it did to one's heart and one's mind, to walk next to death. 

"Sometimes", he replied after a long and overwhelming silence. "Sometimes", he repeated, so the word could stop being so hollow and false. 

Feeling unwell, he turned his head towars another table, his eyes looking for an escape or something, and they met Draco Malfoy's. Harry choked a little bit, surprised to see this face he had almost forgotten, and he saw Malfoy's face reflect the same feelings. Malfoy was with Theodore Nott, if Harry wasn't wrong. With Nott, on a date. Harry recomposed himself and let out an exhausted laugh : how ridiculous they were, pretending they knew what they wanted and hoping for a normal life, after so many magic and so misfortunes ! 

"We're not going to let this be perfect, are we?" Cho said, her voice sounding disappointed and suddenly cynical, which wasn't like her. "We don't what to do with perfect, do we?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"I think we're friends, Harry. Both lost, both wanting a relationship that would be the symbol of the future awaiting and distract us from our insecurities, both too attached to the past." 

Harry lost his breath. She truly was beautiful, wasn't she? His present self would give everything to count her among his precious friends and see her grow. They got up, clumsy and still shocked by this surprising plotwist between them, but looking at each other with genuine tenderness for the first time. And then they sit again, to finish this lovely dinner between two friends, daring to let their eyes drift wherever they pleased and laughing at their sillyness. 

About one hour later, talking towards the exit of the restaurant, Harry heard "Leaving already, Potter? You don't fit with each other, you know". Harry smiled at Malfoy, some confidence blossoming in his breath, "Oh, we do, I think. You and Nott fit. And it's awful, right?" 

Cho and Nott were also exchanging a few words in a corner. 

Malfoy's lips were shifting into an hesitant half-smile, as he was amused and very confused. 

"It is." 

All might be well someday. 


End file.
